Vibratory impulse generator for golf club



Feb. 11, 1958 1 G. LA FERTE VIBRATORY IMPULSE GENERATOR FOR GOLF' CLUB Filed Feb. 16, 1956 ATTORNEYS United States Patent() 2,823,037 VIBRATORY IMPULSlIfIBNERATOR FOR GOLF Louis G. La Ferte, Santa Cruz, Calif.

Application February 16, 1956, Serial No. 565,874

6 Claims. (Cl. 273-186) The present invention relates to a golf club, and pertains more particularly to a practice golf club having vibratory means mounted in the head thereof for emphasizing the location of the club relative to a user by impulses transmitted by the vibratory means.

It is well known that when a steady sensory impulse, such as pressure, is applied to a persons skin, unless the pressure is sufhcient to cause pain, the perception of the pressure by the brain is soon compensated for and after a few moments is not felt as keenly as when rst applied. On the other hand, any variation in the impulse will be immediately sensed, and for this reason a vibratory impulse of a predetermined magnitude will be sensed keenly much longer than a steady impulse of the same maximum magnitude.

In golf instruction, whether teaching the rudiments to a beginner or correcting a fault of an experienced player, the teacher, or professional as he is called, usually has his greatest diiculty in making the pupil understand what he, the pupil, is doing wrong. However, the understanding of his error is almost a necessary precedent in teaching the pupil how to do it right.

One reason that the pupil is unable to realize what he is doing wrong is because, after he has gripped the club with a steady pressure for a few moments he is unable to fully feel the club, and thereby sense its positionv relative to his body.

An object of the present invention is to make an improved golf club for use in making practice swings.

Another object is to provide a golf club with means for creating a vibratory impulse capable of being sensed by a person swinging the club.

A further object of the invention is to provide a practice swing golf club head with vibratory means, and drive means for actuating the vibratory means during a swing of the club for transmitting a pulsating impulse to a person swinging the club. f

Another object of the invention is to provide vibratory means in a golf club head which will transmit vibrations along the club shaft to a users hands, and will also-transmit sound waves audible to the user during a practice swing.

These yand other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of the impact or striking face side of a golf club head in which is mounted a weight actuated vibratory mechanism embodying the invention, said vibratory mechanism being shown somewhat diagrammatically in dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. l but showing the vibratory mechanism of Fig. 1 mounted to extend lengthwiseV from front to rear of the club head.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal median sectional view 'showing the vibratory mechanism illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of rarice Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 5-5 of Fig. 4. i

Fig. 6 is a similar sectional view taken along line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a similar view taken along line 7--7 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along line 8-8 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view through a golf club head taken in a plane at right angles to both the club face and club bottom, and showing a modified form of vibratory mechanism.

In Fig. 1 a generally conventional type of golf club head A of the wood type has a cylindrical cavity 10 formed therein with its axis perpendicular to the sole 11 or base of the club head and approximately at the center of balance of the club head. In this cavity 10 is titted a weight actuated vibratory mechanism B (Figs. 3 to 8 inclusive) comprising a tubular casing 12 in which a weight 13 is mounted for slidable movement along a rotatable shaft 14 which is provided with helical vanes 15 which fit into corresponding grooves 17 in the weight so that as the weight is moved lengthwise of the shaft 14 it will produce a relative rotative movement between the weight and the shaft.

The weight 13 isy retained from rotative movement about the axis of the shaft 14 by a pair of lengthwise extending guide tracks 19and 20 attached to the interior of the casing 12 in a diametrically opposite relation. The weight is notched out at 21 and 22 to receive the tracks 19 and'20 respectively in slidably intertted relation. A gear-like member 23 is secured to the shaft 14 near its lower end to vibrate a pair of wire spring members 27 and 28. The lower end portions 29 of the springs 27 and 28 are arranged to ride along the upper sides of the teeth 30 of the member 23 during a practice swing of a club in which the device B is mounted, to produce vibra-y tions which will be transmitted through the club shaft to the hands of the person holding it, and will also .produce sounds which will help the user audibly follow the club head during a practice swing.

The tubular casing 12 may be of metal or plastic tubing, and has a pair of end closure disks 31 and 32 screwed into internally threaded end portions 33 and 34 of the casing 12. The end closure disks 31 and 32 are provided with central recesses 37 and 38 respectively to provide journal support for the rotary vshaft 14.

Each of the springs 27 and 28 consists of a helically coiled portion 39 mounted loosely to encircle one of a pair of studs 40 mounted to project radially inwardly from opposite sides of the casing 12 at an angle of 90 from the centers of the guide tracks 19 and 20.

Each upwardly projecting spring portion passes between a pair of parallel guide wires 43 and 44 which are secured to extend transversely of the casing at right angles to the common axes of the spring support studs 40 to guide the upwardly projecting spring portions 27 when the latter are being caused to vibrate by the lower spring portions 29 passing across the teeth 30 of the gear-like member 23.

The upper end of each upwardly projecting spring portion 27 is curled to form a ring-like portion 45 to act as a hamm-er for striking a pair of arcuate anvils or striking blocks 47 and 48, one of which is mounted on each side of the casing 12 near its upper end and inthe path of movement of the upper end rings 45.

The sides of the weight 13 are cut away at 49 and 50 so as to clear the spring supporting `studs 40 when the weight moves back and forth along the tracks 19 and 20. When the club head A with the device B mounted therein as shown in Fig. 1 is raised overhead on the top of a swing to lan inverted position from that shown in Fig. l, the weight 13 will tend to gravitate downwardly along eseaoae the inverted shaft 14, turning the latter by means of the helical vanes riding in the grooves 17.

In order to.facilitate.the downward# gravitation ofthe weight 13 when the club head is thus inverted, thehelical portionsplof the. springs 157;andi181may.bemade sufficiently loose on their respective supporting studs. 401that-` when`the club head is thus-.inverted at.` thetop of a swing, the loosely litted .helical portions 39williallow the-entire springs 27 and 28 to drop downwardly suiciently lso that the end portions 41 will-clear the -teeth-.30',- permitting the gear-like member. 23 .torotate `freely. v

Aslthe-v centrifugal: force generated, by-the downward swing of the club causes the weight 13 to force-its-wayoutwardly along` the= shaft 14', therebyI turning it, the

springs..171'andr.18:.likewise..will1be forced outwardly by the same centrifugalzforce5 so; asto-againbring theV end portions 411 of the springs intocontact with teeth- 30rand thus will provide .the `desired vibratory impulse-to-vibrate s the upper end portions.42iofthesprings against lthe impact blocks.47= and 48. The engagement-ofthespring'ends 41 with the teeth. 30 tendsto retard-the `rotationof'the gear-like .member 23, sothat the vibratory periodlofthedevice will'thus be lengthened soas, to endurethroughout at least amajor portionofthe club swing.

inthe.. arrangement shownlin-FigfZ, the same vibratory` mechanism B may be used, but is mounted so -that-theaxis of "the rotary shaft 14 is-.disposed-perpendicularlyto the strikingface 5t] of' a club head C. When thus arranged,

theweightlS will be moved alongthe shaft-14to create the vibratoryimpulsesin themanner described previously hereinby..variations in the acceleration of the club head. This w1l1.teach.the. pupil'usingthe club when=heis-ac celebrating*` and when `he is;not, avery important factor inl some phases. of golf-instruction.

Regardless, however, of whether the device B is,

mounted asshownin Fig. l or in Fig. 2, thevibratory impulseswhich it generates during a practice swing of the club makestheuser actuately aware of the position of the club relative to hishands and body. Both of these arrangements shown in Figs.- l and 2 may be provided inalternate clubs, so that.when an-instructor is-attempting to teach a student howt-andwhen toaccelerate they club head he may use the formshown in Fig. while in teaching some other phaseofthe-swing he may prefer to einploy a club of the type shown in Fig. 1.

In .the modified-form oftheinvention shown iirFig. 9,

a small conventional 'clockworksor electrically energized'` motor (not shown) is mounted in'a casingSl which, inv turn, is. mountedin a.-cavity5f2 providedl therefor in a' club headtD. If a clockworks is-used; a-Winding-shaft 53J ing means for indicating to apupil-the relative positionsof the golf club with respect tohis hands and otherpartsA of his body which is impossible -offullfperception-when the clubl is static.

When the proper swinghasbeen achieved; andth'asfbeen practiced suiciently with apractice .fclub.. embodying-the presentvinvention'to become a habit., then the practice club is set aside and, the lpupil-is.ready .to .ples/.golf crete-presea tice .actually hittingarballwith his fregularrclubs. i

While I have illustrated:andfdescribed apreferredem.-

t bodiment of thetpresent invention,r itgwillibenunderstood.

however, that various changesnd modifications mayzbe made in. the details thereof without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the ap-V pended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is defined in the following claims.

I claim:

l., In combination withagolf club comprisingV ashaft and a head thereon, a vibratormechanism mountedin the head and capable of transmitting sensibly perceptible vibrations along theclubtsha'ft to-the .handsf of a person gripping l theclub, and'A drivingw means for. actuatingVY the vibrator during a predetermined swing ofthe club:

2. In combinationwitha. golf club .comprising a shaft, and a head thereon, a vibrator mechanism mounted in said head and comprising an inertia element sliably mounted for movement in the direction of club head movement duringaswingbf the club, a1shaft. rotatably mountedinzthe vibrator mechanism, driving means. interconnecting: thea. inertia elementtand the shaft, and vibrator. means ,actuatedv by the` shaft for transmitting soundwaves to the ainand sensibly perceptiblevibrations .along the shaft'to the hands.:

of 1 aperson grippingsaid shaft.

3 1.V Incombination'witha golfclubxcomprising a shaft` and-,a head-thereon,4 a vibratory mechanismmounted inthe headandcomprising: a.body, an: inertia element slid:`

ably 4mountedzinuthe` body formevement in .thedirection of club head 'movement-during. auswing ofthe club, a shaft rotatably. mounted =in the body,- helical rthreads' intercon.- nectingA they inertaielement andgthe shaft,Y a .toothed wheel rotatably driven=by.y the shaft, andazvibrator reedcon:

nected to the body and positioned for engagement by the..

toothedportion ofithe'toothedswheel upona rotation of the latter, thereby-to transmit i sensibly` perceptible` vibraf tionselong. the-,clubshaftto ythe hands .ofa person .gripping the club during :a:predetermined'.accelerative: swingof the.

club;

4.1 In combination kwith a.: golfclub comprising. a shaft.

and a head thereon, a.vibrator..mechanis`m.mountedzon the-head yand compr-ising. atbody, A an inertia: element slidably. mounted inthe-body for a movement inthe direction of fclub head -movementzduring a swingof the club,- ashaft` rotatably mounted'lin theibody, helicalthreads.intercon-A necting the inertia element and the shaft, a: toothed;wheel driven by the shaft, a pivotal mounting xedto .thezbody, an anvil lxed tolthefbody, and :a vibrator reed operably engagingfthe mounting and having. one portion engaging.y the# tooth'edportion offthe-,oothedt wheel. andf another:

portion striking the anvil, thereby to transmitsensibly perceptible vibrations: alongt the club. shaft torthe. handsnof a person `grippingtth'e shaftduring a predetermined accelera: tiveswingy ofthe club'.-

5 In combination-i twithaa t golf club" comprisingl azshaft and a head thereon, a vibrator mechanism. mounted on;` Y

said'ihead andcomprising ya,bo.dy, 1 an.- inertia .element slidably-.amounted .inttheabo'cly vfonmoyement in the direction ;l

of 'clubfheadzmovementf during a4 swinggofjthe club, a shaft rotatably mountedyingthe body, lhelical threadsv` interconnecting the inertia element and the shaft, a toothed wheel driven by the,` shaft;.a,pivotal mountingtixed'tothe body,

an .t anvil fixed tothe;b ody, ,ag vibrator -reed 1 operably .en gaging the mounting and having voneeportion engagingthe andttf-,heathv thereon, afvi-biator mechanism on.V the clubf head comprising a body, an inertia element slidahlyy mountedjn the bodyl for-movement. in; the direetion., of" club head movement during a swing of the club, a shaft: Y rotatably mounted in the body, helical threads intercom` necting the inertia element and the shaft, a toothed wheel driven by the shaft, a pivotal mounting ixed to the body, an anvil fixed to the body, a vibrator reed operably engaging the mounting and having one portion engaging the toothed portion of the toothed wheel and another striking the anvil, and differentially roughened guides for the reed adjacent the anvil, whereby, upon a predetermined accelerative swing of the club, the inertia element is moved to actuate the rotatable shaft and the toothed wheel, which References Cited in the ile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Regli Oct. 11, 1910 Reach Dec. 9, 1924 Whitney Oct. 22, 1940 

